


Buzz of Fire and Ice

by Kitashi



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cassian POV, F/M, Nessian - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-03
Updated: 2016-09-03
Packaged: 2018-08-12 17:42:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7943374
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kitashi/pseuds/Kitashi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the gang decides to go to Rita’s and try to set up Cassian with the school’s resident ice queen Nesta Archeron, Cassian gets a first hand experience of what happens when fire and ice meet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Buzz of Fire and Ice

**Author's Note:**

> I have never written modern AU EVER, & have decided I am terrible at modern AU lol Apologies in advance! Also, the lyrics used in this (because why not show my age by doing a fic trope that was popular in the early 2000s? Lol) are from Move by Luke Bryan, which was actually the inspiration for this fic in the first place as well as its title. This was written for the Nessian Week Prompt "Date Night", and while it isn't my favorite I figured, I should share it here just the same lol
> 
> Hope you like it!

I yanked at the collar of my black button up shirt. “Do I have to wear this thing?” It was uncomfortable, and really too fancy for my liking. 

Mor crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. “Do you want to impress Nesta?”

“No.”

“Cassian,” she growled. I raised my hands in surrender. I knew when I had lost; at least Mor had let me roll up the sleeves & wear my jeans. She let out a sigh.

“Do you want to ride with Az and I, or go on your own?”

“On my own,” I replied quickly. “I’d rather not get stuck having to walk home after all you lovebirds pair off.” Mor smiled broadly at me.

“At least you learned your lesson.”

I shook my head, but grinned. “If walking home is a lesson. For what it's worth, I’m glad Az finally got off his ass and asked you out.”

“Thank you. For what it's worth, you're still the DD tonight if someone needs it.” I groaned.

“Really, Mor?” She left the room without answering me, but I saw the satisfied smirk on her face.

“Fine,” I called after her, “But when Nesta kills me, good luck getting home!”

I couldn't believe we were actually going on a date. Well, a group date, but a date nonetheless.

We were meeting at Rita's, since Feyre and Rhys were going to be taking her along with them. I knew what they were doing the moment they mentioned Nesta was coming along. Everyone else was happy, so why not find someone for me too? It even made sense to a degree, at least on paper. But did it have to be the ice queen?

Okay, so she was an attractive ice queen. With a temper. And wit to match. Who could actually hold her own against me. I groaned.

Damn it, who was I kidding? I was attracted to her.

I hoped they knew what they were dragging me in to. I just wondered if she had any clue.

~~

“What's  _ he _ doing here?” she said loudly, her tone disgusted as we stood outside of Rita's. Well, there was my answer. I was used to such treatment, it was certainly nothing new, but somehow her saying it made the words sting more than usual. I gave her an easy smile.

“I have a permanent standing invitation.” She rolled her eyes and turned away from me. 

“Let's just get this over with. I have a test to study for tonight.” She walked up to the door ahead of us. Feyre looked at me apologetically, and I shrugged my shoulders. It was no less than I expected.

Time passed quickly, and before I knew it, we had been here for close to two hours. I sat scowling into my drink, wishing I could make it alcoholic. Rhys and Feyre came back to the table, grinning like fools as they slid into the booth, clearly sweating. I didn't want to think about if it was because of dancing on the dance floor, or something else. Knowing them, it was the second one. The horny bastards. I ignored them and kept my eyes on the dance floor.

Damn, she looked good. When she didn't let the world sit on her shoulders, and wasn't cutting people down with her sharp tongue, she was a sight to behold. 

“You should go dance with her.” Feyre said, interrupting my thoughts. I chuckled.

“Feyre, my balls and I have not forgotten what happens when you cross Nesta Archeron. It's not an experience I need to repeat.” Though she admittedly looked lovely when she was angry, her fiery rage a strangely attractive combination to her usually cold personality.

Still, I couldn't help but steal a glance at her, dancing near Mor in the middle of the room, looking the most free I had ever seen. Almost... _ happy _ . I didn't think that was an emotion the ice queen possessed.

_ Move like you do _ __  
_ All sexy and smooth _ __  
_ Like you love to _ __  
_ Oh, girl, look at you _ __  
_ Legs and your hips _ _  
_ __ Live oak, moonlit

_ When that song hits _ _  
_ _ Damn, you turn it loose _

_ Stars of a southern sky _ __  
_ Buzz of the fire and ice _ __  
_ DJ plays that throwback tune _ _  
_ __ But I can't move when you move

Damn this song. Damn these lyrics.

“Cassian, if you don't go out there and at least try to dance with her, I’m going to kick your ass later,” Rhys said flatly. I opened my mouth to argue, but Rhys gave me a look. “Just  _ try.” _

I flipped him off, but I slid out of the booth anyway, making a show of it. Anything to get away from these two before they started something else. Rhys raised an eyebrow at me, but Feyre pulled him down and whispered something in his ear that mercifully took his attention off of me. 

I moved into the crowd, having lost sight of her. Scanning the room, she was nowhere to be found.

“-away from me.”

Nesta's voice. I turned to the left & saw her talking to a guy, a boy really, who had slowly backed her against a wall. She looked pissed, but her movements were careful, guarded. 

Scared. 

My vision went red. Whether she liked me or not, I wasn't going to stand by and let something happen to her. 

I strode up behind him, my eyes on Nesta. “Hey, sweetheart, is everything alright?”

The boy spun around to face me. He wasn't anything special looking, but he was clearly a guy who was used to getting what he wanted. I vaguely wondered if I’d seen him before on campus.

“We're kind of busy,” he said rudely. I looked at Nesta. She had a scowl on her face, but there was twinge of relief in her eyes. I let out a sigh and grabbed his arm twisted it behind him until he yelped in pain.

“And now you aren't,” I said coldly. “I suggest you walk away and leave  _ my date _ alone, while you are still able to walk. Do you understand?” I twisted it a little harder to get my point across, and I could see tears forming in his eyes, but he nodded quickly. “Now get out. And if I see you near her again, I promise you won't get off so easy.” I pushed him away hard, in the direction of the door. He turned around and looked like he was about to say something, but the look on my face seemed to make him think better of it. I turned back to her.

“Are you alright?” I asked again.

_ “Your date?”  _ I sighed. Of course she'd zero in on that.

“Well, you're part of our group tonight. It seemed like the best way to get him to leave.”

She scowled at me. I gave her a lazy smirk.

“I’ll accept your thanks at anytime.”

“Thank you,” she said curtly and turned away. I felt my heart sink.

“For what it's worth, I didn't know that they weren't telling you I was coming tonight.” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. She paused.

“Why did you come out here? When he had me… cornered?” I could hear the catch in her voice.

“You looked like you could use some help.”

“I didn't need saving,” she snapped.

“No, you didn't,” I said seriously. “But that doesn't mean I'm not going to help anyway.”

She didn't have an answer for that.

“Dance with me,” I blurted out.

“What?”

I held out my hand.

“Dance with me,” I said again.

“Why should I?”

I gave her a lazy grin. “Because I’d like to see if you dance just as well with a partner as you did on your own.”

She blushed fiery red, but grabbed my hand roughly, dragging me to the dance floor.

~~

She was indeed a good dancer. I was surprised that she was still dancing with me. More than a few songs gone by and she had made no movement to leave, or even a snide comment. She actually seemed content, or as close to content as Nesta Archeron ever was in public.

“You dance well, sweetheart,” I whispered in her ear.

“You have some nerve grabbing a girl like that while she's dancing,” she said, her tone light, acknowledging my hands on her waist, though I sensed the underlying annoyance. I smiled broadly.

“Sometimes you need to have some nerve to get what you want.” I didn't know where the words were coming from, but so far they were innocent, even though I wasn't sure I wanted them to be.

“And what exactly is it that you want?” The question in her voice hadn't changed her tone at all.

“Whatever you are willing to give.”

She smiled sweetly, and it was only fast reflexes that kept me from getting a knee to the balls,  _ again. _

“I’m wise to that trick, sweetheart.”

I grabbed her other leg with my hand as she tried the same thing again. “Nice try.”

She glared at me, and I gave her a lazy grin. 

I finally released her from my hold, though it was reluctantly. “Thanks for the dance.” She looked at me surprised as I bowed to her; an antiquated gesture maybe, but it felt right. I turned away and took a few steps towards the table where Rhys and Feyre were sitting with Mor and Az.

“Hey!” I turned back to see her with her arms crossed, a scowl on her face.

“You're just going to leave me on the dance floor?”

I shrugged. “I didn't want to overstay my welcome.”

A smirk crossed her face. “I seem to recall you are the DD for tonight. Since my original ride seems to be preoccupied-” I could see Feyre and Rhys all over each other again in the booth. “I seem to find myself in a predicament of needing a ride home.” Her voice trailed off almost suggestively. I raised an eyebrow.

“Are you sure about that?” She closed the distance between us quickly, and suddenly she was kissing me and I couldn't think of anything except her lips on mine. As we broke apart, I could only stare at her. I couldn't boast a single coherent thought. She smirked, clearly proud of herself.

“Do you question everything?”

I grabbed her hand and led her towards the exit, to whoops and cheers I vaguely knew were coming from Feyre, Rhys, and Mor. 

“As my lady wishes.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you thought! All comments and suggestions are welcome, & if you have a POV/scene you would really like to see, please let me know! Thank you for reading!
> 
> Also, I have a writing Tumblr! If anyone is interested in talking & discussing ACOTAR, ACOMAF, or giving suggestions/asking questions, I can be found at _<http://kitashiwrites.tumblr.com>_.
> 
> Hope to see you there!


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